by Rhoda Baxter
##
From: Olivia Gornall
To: Tom Blackwood
LOL!
Laid back? Vienna? You mean 'laid often'. She's one of the most ruthless women I've ever met.
As to what's up with her, could it be that she smells competition from a certain young party planner?
##
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
Vienna's not like that. We've always been totally open about the fact that there is no commitment involved in our relationship. Obviously, if either of us started dating someone, we'd stop seeing each other, but until then, it's just as and when. That was the deal. No questions asked.
##
From: Olivia Gornall
To: Tom Blackwood
But you did have a relationship involving commitment with Vienna once, remember? Maybe she wants that again? Or, now that she's sensing her regular shag slipping away, it's starting to bother her.
##
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
Vienna and I were a terrible a couple. We're not really the relationship type, either of us. When we weren't in bed, we just bickered the whole time. It was only after we decided to split up that we started to get on.
##
From: Olivia Gornall
To: Tom Blackwood
It amazes me that someone so bright can be so DENSE.
Let me spell it out for you. You love this Stevie girl. She may even love you. Vienna is being a jealous bitch.
So, what are you going to do about it?
##
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
Oh shut up. Even if you're right, which you aren't. Vienna hasn't got anything to worry about.
I'm going to go turn those lights off and go to bed. Alone (before you ask).
Chapter 16
The day of the ball Stevie did little but rush around tying up loose ends, calming down a panicky Evelyn and curtailing annoying phone calls from Lady Beryl.
At five that afternoon, she was still in her jeans and flip-flops. She had spent the last half hour minding things in the kitchen while Priya went home to shower and change. Now that the cooking was finally done, she was washing pans so they could be put away, making the space available for laying the trays out. She really needed to have a shower and do her hair before the guests, or worse, before Lady Beryl turned up.
Alice burst into the kitchen. "Stevie. I can't do the nails on my right hand properly! I've done these, look." She waved a purple painted left hand. "But the other hand keeps going wonky."
Stevie sighed. A party organiser's job seemed to entail a huge range of duties. "Give me a minute and I'll do them for you." She pointed to the pile of dripping dishes. "If you could dry those and put them away, that would make my life easier."
Alice glanced dubiously at the dishes and then at her hand.
"It won't damage your nails." Stevie fought to keep the impatience out of her voice. "It's not like you're washing up." Unlike me, she thought, looking at her own hands, which were submerged past the wrists.
Alice picked up a tea towel. "What are you going to do with your hair?"
"I was going to put it up." Stevie dunked the last of the pans in the sink. "I'm not sure I'll have time though. I have to go have a shower in a minute."
"What colour's your dress?"
"Blue. Yours?" Her mind was only half on the conversation. Most of it was occupied with ticking things off a mental checklist.
"I'm wearing this hipster skirt and a sparkly top," said Alice. "The top's the same colour as my nails."
Stevie let her talk without actually listening.
Evelyn raced in. "What do you think?" She was wearing a red floaty summer dress and linen jacket, with pearls. She looked neat and tidy and every inch the retired academic.
"You look lovely," said Stevie. "Very elegant."
"You look amazing Gran." Alice sounded impressed.
"Thank you, both. Now then, I'm going to make a start on laying out these trays. Oh, nearly forgot." She tossed a small box onto the table. "If Tom passes through, tell him that's his father's bow tie. He's forgotten his." With that, she swept out.
Stevie and Alice finished clearing up and sat at the end of the long table. Stevie was busy concentrating on applying even strokes of nail varnish when Tom appeared.
"Have you seen Mum?"
"She's in the wine cellar," said Alice. "She left you a bow tie. She said to say it's Gramps'."
"Right."
Stevie felt a prickling between her shoulder blades as he walked behind her to pick up the box. She forced herself to concentrate on Alice's fingers.
"Damn," Tom said. "It's one of those real ones. I've only ever used clip on ones."
There was silence. Stevie didn't look up. She finished the last nail.
Tom was standing barely a foot away from her shoulder and she was trying not to look at him. He was bound to look gorgeous in a tux. He looked gorgeous enough in jeans.
"I don't suppose you know how to tie a bow tie, Stevie?"
As it happened, she did. One of her ex-boyfriends had chatted her up by showing her how to tie one. Did she really want to admit to that? It would mean being closer to Tom than she really wanted to be. She had to concentrate on the ball this evening. She was, after all, a professional.
Tom took her silence to be a denial. "I wish I'd thought of this earlier. I could have gone out and bought one. What am I going to do now?"
Stevie sighed. "I'll do it. Give it here." She finally looked at him and all thoughts fled from her head.
He did indeed look wonderful in a tuxedo. The jacket showed off his broad shoulders while the cummerbund emphasized his trim waist. His hair had been washed and tamed so that it no longer tumbled lazily over his forehead, somehow making his eyes bluer. The top button of his collar was undone. He hastily did it up so that she could put the tie round his neck.
Stevie blinked and tried to concentrate on the job at hand. She could feel the warmth radiating from his skin as she slipped the tie round his neck. Tom put a hand on the back of a chair and lifted his chin.
She concentrated on pulling the fabric of the silk tie through the correct knot. After a moment she found herself staring at the freshly shaved skin on his throat. There was a tiny nick just under his chin. All she wanted to do was kiss it better.
Blood was pounding in her head and she felt hot all over. She couldn't possibly be this close to him and not have her head explode out of sheer lust.
Tom swallowed. The movement of his throat reminded her that she was supposed to be tying his tie, not staring hungrily at his throat like some demented vampire. She noticed that he was breathing faster than usual. She forced herself to look away, and saw that he was gripping the back of the chair so hard that his knuckles were white. Could he be finding this as difficult as she was?
She finished tying the bow, barely able to think for wanting him. As she finished, she gave into temptation and let her finger lightly brush his throat. Tom inhaled sharply and his eyelids fluttered shut. Stevie pulled the knot tight, straightened it and let her hands drop.
He lowered his chin and his eyes met hers. For a moment he gazed at her with such pure naked lust that she forgot to breathe.
The moment stretched. They were only inches apart, yet he made no move to close the gap.
Alice's phone beeped. They both jumped. Stevie had completely forgotten about Alice.
Tom cleared his throat. "Thank you." His voice was deeper than normal. "You're a star." He took a step back.
Stevie was suddenly embarrassed that Alice might have witnessed the look that had just passed between Tom and herself, but the teen, who was st
ill blowing on her nails and texting with one hand, seemed oblivious.
Evelyn came in, carrying a large tray of canapés still wrapped in cellophane. "There you are darling. You found the bow tie then." She carefully put the tray down.
"Yes. And Stevie tied it for me."
"Ah," said Evelyn. "It suits you."
There was something in Evelyn's voice that made Stevie look at her and mentally change gear. Evelyn's normally steely eyes were misted. "You look so handsome." She stepped close to Tom and straightened the already straight tie. "So much like your father." Her voice cracked completely then. There were tears in her eyes.
Tom kissed his mother on the cheek. She put her arms around him and hugged him. Stevie felt a lump form in her throat. She knew that Evelyn, normally so capable and business like, was seeing this ball as a tribute to her late husband. It would launch the house in its new incarnation as a B&B. The culmination of a project he'd started. It was clearly an emotional moment for her.
A chair scraped as Alice went over to hug her grandmother too. Tom put his arms round both of them and they stood together in the kitchen, a tableaux of family affection.
Stevie quietly left them to it.
* * * *
Back in her room, Stevie decided there was no time for her to have a bath as planned and had to settle for a shower instead. The incident in the kitchen had left her feeling unsettled and very much alone. She missed Marsh. She even missed having Louise around to bounce ideas off.
Sitting in front of the mirror to dry her hair, her thoughts turned to Tom. She now had no doubts that she wanted him. Madly. And after the look he had given her, she was sure that he wanted her too, just as much. Yet something was holding him back.
If he'd wanted to kiss her, he'd had plenty of opportunity. Something was bothering him, but what? Stevie brushed out her wet hair. With it pulled away from her face, she looked fresh and young.
Tom kept making comments about youth. Was that it? Did he think she was too young for him? Eight years wasn't that much of an age gap. By the time he was seventy, she'd be sixty-two. That was barely a difference.
Or maybe it wasn't that at all. There was also Vienna. Despite Tom's protests that Vienna wasn't his girlfriend, she obviously had some power over him. Perhaps some sense of loyalty to Vienna was stopping him.
She freed a knot in her hair with a vicious tug. "Ouch!"
She would have to try to watch Tom and Vienna that evening and see how they interacted. She'd only seen them together fleetingly. Maybe seeing them in a setting like a ball, which they claimed was the sort of thing they did together, might shed some light on how Tom really felt about Vienna.
Stevie sighed and raised her hands to her hair to tie it up. Suddenly she remembered the night in the library when Tom has asked her what she wanted from life. She thought back to her answer. Was that it? Had her suggestion that she wanted something stable for her life made her sound like some sort of needy sad case?
If Tom thought she was after a husband and nothing else, no wonder he was running away. She studied her face. A year ago, she would have had no problem with jumping on Tom and having a few days of fun and then moving on. It would hurt, but she'd go in accepting the risk. But now, the idea of a frivolous relationship seemed wrong for her. What had happened in a year to change her so much?
Pursing her lips, Stevie returned to doing her hair. She knew the answer to that question. In the last year, she'd left uni to start work in the real world, moved into her own flat and her brother had got married. She had taken for granted the fact that Marsh would always be there for her and now suddenly, he had his own family to think about. It was as though a safety net that she'd not even been aware of relying on had suddenly winked out of existence. It left her feeling shaken and vulnerable. Needy, even.
She tethered her hair with a clip and loosened a few tendrils to frame her face. Reaching for her makeup, she told herself to stop being silly. She wasn't needy. Even if she was, she didn't have to let it show. And anyway, she told herself as she swiftly applied her makeup, tonight was all about her setting up herself as a professional. This ball was important to her future and more than that, it meant a lot to Evelyn, who had been nice to her. She couldn't let her down.
After slipping on her dress and matching shoes, Stevie gave herself one last check in the mirror. The dress was blue silk and fell in a flattering swish around her hips. Coupled with her subtle make up, she looked smart, fresh and professional. She gave herself a reassuring smile and stepped out to take over her job as organiser.
* * * *
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
I think Mum's missing Dad. She had a moment of weakness earlier. I hope this ball goes well for her sake as well as Stevie's.
Tom
##
From: Olivia Gornall
To: Tom Blackwood
What progress with Stevie? How are you getting on with keeping your natural tendencies in check?
##
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
Well, if you are trying not to fancy someone, getting them to tie your bow tie for you is probably not a clever idea. It was probably the single most erotic experience of my life.
I nearly seriously embarrassed myself. Luckily, Mum came in and had a small wobbly which distracted me.
Although, now I think I've confused her even more.
I just have to get through a couple more days and she'll be gone forever and I can go back to my comfortable arrangement with Vienna.
##
From: Olivia Gornall
To: Tom Blackwood
I think you'll find your arrangement with Vienna isn't quite as comfortable as it used to be.
I'm so looking forward to the moment she realises that you're in love with Stevie.
The train's just pulling into Oxford. I'll be there in a few minutes.
OG
* * * *
Stevie reached the landing and found Tom and a tall girl with spiky blonde hair manoeuvring a board under Priya's direction. The girl gave Stevie a grin, before turning back to her task. They put the board by the front door where everyone would have to walk past in order to get to the main rooms.
Priya had created a display showing the devastated site of the old hospital and the plans for the new one. Photos showed the construction that had already taken place. There was a price list showing what various sums of money would buy and explaining how the equipment would save lives. Finally, there were some pictures of children who would benefit from the hospital, all heartrendingly cute.
Stevie nodded with approval. "That's good. We need a collection box." She dragged Evelyn's writing desk out so that part of it stuck out beyond the display. "In case people want to make a donation."
Tom turned and saw her for the first time. He seemed to freeze into place.
The blonde girl glanced at Tom, and then looked Stevie up and down. "Have you got a bike chain or something?"
"Pardon?" She was completely thrown by the question.
"You might want to lock the collection box down. In case it walks."
"That's a good point. I'll sort that out." Tom placed a hand on the girl's arm and tried to move her along.
She stayed where she was and smiled at Stevie. "I'm Olivia. You must be Stevie. I've heard a lot about you."
Stevie wondered who this woman was. Olivia was nearly as tall as Tom and wore a smart trouser suit and killer heels that made her seem even more willowy. She and Tom were clearly very comfortable in each other's presence, but Stevie sensed no chemistry between them.
Tom gave her a quick grin and turned back. "Come on Og, I thought you were helping."
Og. The friend from school. That made sense.
"I'll see you later." Olivia allowed Tom to s
hoo her out of the room.
Priya was straightening up the display. She was wearing a beautiful red and cream sari and had her hair up. The image was spoiled somewhat, by the large apron she'd tied over the front. She was frowning slightly.
"You okay, Priya?"
Priya nodded. "Yes. We're all good to go in the kitchen. I've press-ganged one of my nieces into helping with the food. Apparently, she's a fan of this pop star you have coming."
Stevie nodded. She glanced at her watch. "It's nearly time for people to start turning up. Is Lady Beryl here?"
"No."
Stevie rolled her eyes. "I need her to do door duty."
"I know. Beryl doesn't really do 'helping out'. She thinks it's beneath her." Priya gave Stevie an apologetic smile. "I know Tom buttered her up again this morning, so perhaps he helped changed her mind."
Stevie hoped so. Lady Beryl was a royal pain, but she needed her approval if she was going to get more commissions based on this ball. If Lady Beryl was late, Stevie would have to step in and do the meet and greet without a murmur of disapproval. She sighed and ran off to do a last check that everything was under control.
By the time the first guests arrived, Stevie had checked that everything was in place and that private areas were cordoned off and, where possible, locked. She flew to answer the door. The early birds were friends of Evelyn and Priya. Stevie ticked them off her list and marked their tickets. She had time to direct them to the bar where Tom was waiting with glasses of champagne, wine or juice, all ready and poured out. Most people headed off into the garden.
A text arrived. It was from Marsh. Stevie opened it with some trepidation.
Good luck with the ball. Hope all goes well. Marsh. x
She stared at it for a moment. She had behaved very badly towards Marsh lately. She hadn't called or texted. This was the longest time she'd been out of touch with him. And it was the longest time she'd stayed angry with him. She'd been a real shit to him and Jane, dragging Jane's name back into contact with Cause Celeb, yet here was Marsh, thinking of her and wishing her luck. A lump rose in her throat. She missed him. She really, really missed him.